Latest Rafael Nadal headlines

2/08/2011Rafaholics

Nadal confesses tears flowed when his 'Rafa Slam' dream died- The Australian

"I was crying in the locker room. I hate to go out of the tournament," Nadal said yesterday. "Last year, I had to do it and it was something I didn't want to repeat. But from the third game I knew I didn't have a chance to win. David was playing fantastic and I wasn't able to run enough to rise to the level to beat him."

It was perhaps more than a consolation for Nadal, who has cemented his position as world No 1 and proved himself one of the greatest players of all time.
But the pain of the loss in Melbourne obviously lingers. Nadal insisted the Rafa Slam was "never a real thing, it was an illusion". Clearly an illusion he still dreams of attaining.
Nadal said yesterday he remained hungry for success and felt he had years of his best tennis ahead of him.
"I am hungry every day for success and although I am not young on the tour - and have been on the tour for nine years - I am young in man years," he said. "I hope to have many opportunities to win again."

Nadal aiming for medal defence -Sportal
Spanish tennis ace Rafael Nadal said he has every intention of defending his Olympic men's singles title at the 2012 London Games.
The 24-year-old defeated Chile's Fernando Gonzalez to claim gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and has taken his game to another level in the years since.
Nadal assumed Roger Federer's world number one ranking and claimed three Grand Slam titles in a career-best 2010 season.

Speaking after he was named sportsman of the year at the Laureus Sports Awards in Abu Dhabi on Monday, Nadal modestly said he hoped to still be in good enough form to qualify for the next Olympics.

"Everyone wants to play (in the) Olympics. I am not an exception," Nadal said.
"For sure, I hope to be ready to be in London. To play in London you have to qualify, because you have to be in the top three or top four in your country."
"You know the Spanish tennis players' level is very high. If I am not playing my best tennis or I am not healthy and not 100 percent prepared, I don't know if I will qualify for London, but my goal, for sure, is to be there."
"I love the Olympics. I enjoyed the Olympics very much in 2008 in Beijing. Not because I won - for sure, that's something extra - but I loved the spirit of the Olympic Games and being in the (Olympic) village with the rest of the sportsmen and sportswomen of the world."
"That's an unbelievable experience. I enjoyed it a lot and I would love to relive the experience."